


Love Looks, Love Looks Not

by rebel_ren



Series: Drabbles Against Despair [34]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Introspection, M/M, Magnus' thoughts about love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:54:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29953020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebel_ren/pseuds/rebel_ren
Summary: Once, Magnus had thought he knew what love looked like. Now, he knows better.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Drabbles Against Despair [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666300
Comments: 14
Kudos: 48





	Love Looks, Love Looks Not

**Author's Note:**

> I have not been able to get my words coalesce into anything coherent the last few days, but I saw this tweet today, and it made me think of Magnus, so here you go! (Title is an adaptation of a Shakespeare quote) <3
> 
> Prompt:
>
>> it’s never how you imagine. you imagine love has sunlight colored hair and smells like french toast and a laugh like a magic harp but maybe love has hair the color of the ocean and smells like grey tea and laughs like a crackling fire. maybe it’ll take you a while to recognize it
>> 
>> — tiny fairy tales✨ (@tinyfairytales) [March 10, 2021](https://twitter.com/tinyfairytales/status/1369478297420185603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Reality is nothing at all like Magnus had imagined.

He’s loved and lost before, and maybe that’s why he’d been fool enough to think he knew the truth.

He’d thought he knew what love looked like, what love smelt and sounded like. He’d thought love was glittering black eyes, raven tresses, and crimson lips giving claiming kisses with the slightest sting of teeth. He’d thought love bore the fragrance of roses with earthy undertones. He’d thought love felt all-consuming, all-pervading.

He’d thought that love was a thing that changed him, remade him, transformed him. He’d thought love laughed like a harp, melodious yet distant. He’d thought the scent of love would linger in his mind forever, that love’s touch would forever be irresistible to him.

And he’d been so, so wrong.

Love is none of those things, and none of those aspects had truly been love.

Love, it turns out, is tall, even taller than Magnus. Love, it turns out, has earnest hazel eyes and unruly dark hair that somehow manages to look perpetually tousled. Love smells like… well, like Magnus - because love uses Magnus’ sandalwood shampoo and body butter - and yet not like Magnus, because love’s natural scent is clean, warm skin with a hint of the outdoors.

Love’s laugh is a full body thing that shakes their body, and their crooked smile lights up their face, making their eyes crinkle at the corners. Love is full of casual gestures and deeply meaningful ones, ranging from simple handholding in public to thoughtful gifts that take Magnus’ breath away Love is eager, inexperienced but enthusiastic.

Love looks like an enemy at first, pale skin marked with runes that whisper of fear and bigotry and exclusion. It takes time for Magnus to see past that, to recognise love for who they are.

Love, as it turns out, is not a person for Magnus to lose all sense of self in. Love is a person on a journey to find themself, a person who encourages Magnus to do the same.

Love touches Magnus carefully, gently - not as though he is fragile but as though he is precious. Love kisses Magnus as though love is afraid Magnus will disappear. Love doesn’t demand change from Magnus; no, love makes Magnus more himself than he’s been in a very long while.

Love’s name is Alec, and Magnus will never mistake anyone else for love again.


End file.
